Improvement in life-boats



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LIFE-BOAT.

No.18'8,78Z Patented March 27,1877.

N-PEI'ERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNI EQ' ,STATES 'I'PATENT QFFICE.

. launching from the wreck or vessel, or in sought to be obtained is the safety of the crew disaster. boat is able to right itself when capsized,

water.

.tank, E, is placed. There are two of these tanks-one on each side of the trunk 0. (See such volume that they shall exceed the vol- CHARLES DIGKENSON, on PORTLAND, onneon.

' INIIPRLOVYEMIENT lN LIFE-BOATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,782, dated March 27, 1877 application filed April 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, CHARLES DIOKENSON, of Portland, in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented an Improvement in Life-Boats for the use of seagoing vessels and life-stations, and of which the following is aspecification:

In Figurelis shown a longitudinal section. In Fig. 2 is shown a cross or midship section, and in Fig. 3 is shown a deck plan.

The object of this invention is to produce a water-tight boat that shall right itself when capsized and free itself of water in the cockpit that may have been filled by a sea, or in trunk G in the bottom of the cock-pit; and the bottom of this cock-pit is considerably above the water-line of the boat. Several thwarts are placed in the cock-pit similar to any common boat. The boat is provided with rowlocks or thole-pins, lifelines, and the usual appliances of a life-boat on deck. In the after part of the boat a binacle'and compass, I, are placed on the under side of the deck with a thick glass in the deck, so that it may be readily seen by the steersman at all times.

The hold D is approached by two watertight man-holes, G, which are hinged and screwed down similar to a ships dead-light. If the weather is very severe and had these are securely fastened, otherwise they are left open; and they are always fastened when the boat is launched from the ship, or passing through breakers. 1

This boat will usually be constructed of metal, though it can be made of wood. The tanks E are filled or emptied from the plugs or spigots F. The wheel H (seen in the under end of the trunk G) is used for moving the boat on the keel when on deck, and for this purpose drops slightly below the keel. The boat will be usually kept bottom up on beams above or over the deck when on a vessel; and on this a frame, with casters set, so as to carry the gunwales of the boat, will be placed.

passing fthrough breakers.- Another thing or passengers in such a boat. To this end my boat consists of two parts-a watertight hold and a cock-pit, the cock-pit being large enough to hold the oarsmen or working crew only and nothing else, the hold to contain the provisions, water, and the survivors of a wreck or Attention is called to manner in which this and bale itself when the cock-pit is full of In Fig. 1 in the bottom of the boat a water Figs. 2, 3.) These are kept continually filled with fresh water for use in case of accident,

and for the ballast used in righting the boat. These tanks E are of a combined capacity of ings of the boat are cut, and she can be launched bottom up with the same safety as any other way, as she will immediately right herself when once in ihe water.

The passengers and provisions are all placed inside the hold and the crew go overboard with her, each one having hold of the life-lines or fastening himself to it. On the ends of righted, though she may be capsized many these life-lines there is a large cork float, so times. In addition the cargo in the hold D is that should any one be lost from his line he lashed fast to the bottom of the boat, and this may have the possibility of again regaining assists the water-ballast in the operation of the line and haul himself aboard. righting and keeping the boat trimmed. It will be seen from the above that the Should the cock-pit A become filled with dangers of great exposure and chilling are water it immediately runs through the trunk prevented, as regards a large number of the O and discharges through the bottom of the survivors; and those who are outside can be boat. To prevent water from swelling up suitably relieved after the first few hours of through the trunk G into the cock-pit A a peril are past, and they may obtain rest and cover, B, is placed over the upper end of the a degree of comfort in the dry hold.

ume of water possible to be contained by the cock-pit and weight of the oarsmen in the same.

By this means the boat is kept continually This will be useful in launching when the lash- The inventor thinks that this plan makes perfectly safe the launching of the boat from the ship, as it is a matter of no consequence how this is done, it only being necessary that the boat clear the ship. Afterward she takes scribed, and baling herself, as shown, without any efi'ort of the crew, thus lessening the dangers of fatigue and exhaustion, and otherwise protecting perfectly those who are unable to protect themselves, as might be the case in an open boat.

Iclaim- I In a life-boat, construe ed substantially as described, the colnhiuatioii ot thecock-pit A, trunk O, and closed hold D, provided with ballast-tanks E, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

OHARLEs DIGKENSON.

Witnesses PHILIP REED, GHAs. B. TALBOT. 

